In Peak, choose a sound and a target area for the zero edit:

Digital Techniques III Workshop

Zero-sample editing exercises

Zoom the target part of the edit to the sample level:

Zero-sample editing exercises

Digital Techniques III Workshop

Deactivate the “Auto Snap” function (should not be checked):

Zero-sample editing exercises

Digital Techniques III Workshop

Find a zero sample (or a sample very close to the zero line):

Zero-sample editing exercises

Digital Techniques III Workshop

Select from the zero sample to the end of the first sound and Cut (or to the beginning and Crop)

Zero-sample editing exercises

Digital Techniques III Workshop

The zero sample should now be the last in the edited first sound:

Zero-sample editing exercises

Digital Techniques III Workshop

Choose a second sound and a target joining point:

Zero-sample editing exercises

Digital Techniques III Workshop

Zoom the target area to the sample level and find a zero sample (whose previous sample comes from the opposite direction than the first sound’s):

Zero-sample editing exercises

Digital Techniques III Workshop

Select from the zero sample to the beginning of the 2nd sound and Cut (or to the end and Crop)

Zero-sample editing exercises

Digital Techniques III Workshop

The zero sample should now be the first in the edited second sound:

Zero-sample editing exercises

Digital Techniques III Workshop

Join the two sounds at their zero samples by selecting all of the second sound and pasting it after the last sample of the first sound:

Zero-sample editing exercises

Digital Techniques III Workshop

Techniques III Workshop

Two ‘virtual gestures’:

Choose 2 sounds with sharp, distinctive attacks

Choose 2 other sounds with slower attacks and longer decays

In each virtual gesture, combine two sounds such that the attack of the 1st sound leads directly to the 2nd, as if causing the latter to occur

e.g.: breaker Switch, Car by fast

Zero-sample edits:

In this exercise, use the zero-sample editing technique to create:

In Peak (or SoundMaker, or your own software, in which similar instructions apply):

Import a speech recording, then create a new mono file; you will go back and forth between the two documents throughout the exercise:

In the new document, insert 5 seconds of silence and deselect.

Zero-sample editing exercises

Digital Techniques III Workshop

Locate and select the first hard consonant required (e.g. the ‘s’ in ‘Sue’, taking it from the word /s/eemed in the unedited phrase):

Paste the consonant into the new document, making sure the beginning is clean and natural-sounding (if it is not,select the very beginning and use the DSP > Fade In function to ease it in):

Zero-sample editing exercises

Digital Techniques III Workshop

Locate the following vowel (e.g. the ‘ue’ in ‘Sue’, taking it from the word t/oo/ in the unedited phrase):

Paste the vowel into the new document immediately after the previously inserted ‘s’:

Zero-sample editing exercises

Digital Techniques III Workshop

Next, examine the ‘join’ between the consonant and the vowel by zooming in on the spot:

Zoom in further and look for the best way to join a part of the consonant rising to zero and a part of the vowel rising from zero (or vice-versa) at — or very near — the zero-sample line:

(Select between the two points, delete, and then listen to verify if the edit is smooth)

Zero-sample editing exercises

Digital Techniques III Workshop

in

oo

In the pit, the car's entire team seemed far too at ease.

‘Recipe’ recorded phrase:

Possible Virtual Words:

Sue; Zoo; sin; since; teas(e); sit; sire, etc.

Methodology:

oos

ire

’s t ease

s it

In the pit, the car's

entire team seemed

far too at ease.

(Zoo)

(Sue)

s s

(Since)ins s

Zero-sample editing exercises

Digital Techniques III Workshop

For exercise 4, continue in similar fashion until two virtual words are completed.

Continually verify that the words are as natural sounding as possible, as well as being alert to transient clicks, abrupt beginnings, endings or transitions, and other technical glitches.

The virtual words should be handed in as a single mono AIF or WAV file.

Include your initials in the file name, e.g. MP_speech_edit.aif

The original recorded phrase should come first, followed by the virtual words.

Leave one or two seconds of space between each virtual word.

Zero-sample editing exercises

Digital Techniques III Workshop